Cursed
by xxperryxx
Summary: An old enemy is in threat of being brought back again, which will result in the deaths of the MedJai leaders if not carefully treated.
1. Prologue

Perry – Hey. It's been a kind of surreal day. I just needed to get away from it for a bit, so I decided to write, and as I needed to update 'Cursed' to the slightly altered and altogether better planned model, I decided to do that.

It's basically the same idea, just has more of a story behind it. And a better planned enemy, basically all round better work. I put more thought into it. I'm not the same disillusioned girl I was a year ago, a lot can change in a year. As a result the actual characters I was planning on putting into this story have changed. Some of their entire personalities have changed. They've become more 3D, which will hopefully result in a better story. Well, we can all hope.

Any review would be appreciated, I can take criticism as long as there's a reason for why and if you would please tell me any way to improve my writing it would be valued as I'm taking my English S.A.Ts this year and English is my weakest point so any help and I'll be very grateful.

One last thing, this prologue has been updated once more thanks to a e-mail I received from a 'Pam Gwaltney'. To whom I am very grateful to.

Disclaimer – As always, I do not own The Mummy Series, or anything else you might recognize in this story.

**Cursed**

**Prologue**

"_Long before the creature, Chaim was a great scribe and advisor to the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt."_

The sun rays disappeared over the sands horizon dropping the lands into the cold, inky darkness of night. The time had come. The figure crept through the maze of streets with ease, sneaking through shadow after shadow, unseen and silent, her burden light on her back. Coming to a stop in front of a much larger house than where she had first started at. Slipping the woven basket off of her back she left it at the door and knocked. Then she was gone, her child abandoned.

"_He was an incredibly clever, but very cruel man, wishing for nothing but power and riches, and doing all he could to gain that."_

Light charged in through the open door, forcing the shadows to retreat into one corner. Within its hiding place it whispered and plotted with the young boy who craved the isolation that the darkness created, until finally he left it to go on to greater, much darker things.

"_He was the second most powerful person in Egypt, but when the Pharaoh decided to marry Neb-Het, Chaim feared for his position."_

His face was emotionless as always, professional, calm, cold. His eyes, however, were burning with resentment and anger, fiery flames that glowed golden, licking at the black of his eye. He turned, stalking out of the room angrily, a wave of terrified civilians in his wake.

"_He plotted for Neb-Het's death, but at the last possible moment it went wrong. A servant, Nafre, betrayed Chaim, telling both the Pharaoh and Neb-Het of his plans."_

The black robes billowed as the man walked into the area, his strides purposeful and aura terrible. Closing the doors behind him with a simple push of his hands as he stalked towards the occupants of the room, some of which were shaking in fear. It was not until he felt the sharp pain of a blow to the back of his neck that he realized there were others in the room, mainly the Med-Jai.

"_Chaim was punished severely. He was imprisoned in a hidden chamber with neither food nor water, and with no hope of escape."_

Chaim was pushed into the cell. It was only so long before he would run out of his limited water and food supply. Then he would be vanquished to the other world.

"_With his last breath before he was sealed away, he cursed the Pharaoh, his wife and Nafre, as well as any living descendents, to death. Their worst fears to come alive and leave them for dead as he would be."_

His screams and curses were muffled by the closing of the large stone door, it was not nearly enough to shut out the screams completely but then again the damage had been done now. The small woman next to the Pharaoh and his wife was pale, and the Pharaoh's wife did not look any better.

"_Chaim's anger was heard by Seth, the God of Chaos. Seth promised Chaim the chance to have his revenge as long as Chaim promised his alliance to him. Chaim agreed."_

The dry scrapping on the sand made him look up. Amber eyes met snake. He stepped towards it as, in turn, the crimson snake advanced on him. Finally they reached one another and he leant down to pick up the snake. It wound itself up his arm, reaching the mans neck, and it bit down. He stumbled back, knocking over his only source of light in the same motion, sending the room into blackness.

"_Nafre was found dead, days after the deal was made, as was Neb-Het. However Nafre's son, Nasr survived."_

The young boy was pulled behind the stronger older man, his large honey eyes wide and frightened and he was covered from head to toe in a mixture of sweat, blood and dirt. The blood probably belonging to the corpse that was laying in the sand not 5 feet in front of him. It was no question who was behind this.

"_Many years passed, Nasr grew, he took his father's position as leader of the Med-Jais, he trained."_

The young man grunted as he swung the sword again, and again, and again, and... Many of the people he commanded had lost interest in watching him train. He would repeat the maneuver until he had perfected it. His honey eyes glared at the sword as he dropped it from his hand, memories sweeping through his brain in mere seconds. He picked up the sword and continued with even more force.

"_Chaim grew stronger too. He developed his own palace, his own rule. He became crueler still, but never older."_

The black robed man sat regally in the large gold throne he had fashioned for himself looking over the ground of his large palace. A servant returned with a glass of water he had asked for minutes ago, an old man weak with age and trembling with fear. He smirked at the effect, just as he had all those years ago.

"_When he deemed them ready, Nasr lead the Med-Jai's attacked Chaim's palace, fighting his armies until eventually Nasr engaged Chaim himself in battle."_

The cries and shouts of the army as they charged into their war were terrific and terrifying, commoners screamed themselves as they ran with their children, a few of the more rebellious young men dared to join in with the charge.

"_The details of the battle are long lost in time, even to the Med-Jais themselves, but the face-off between Nasr and Chaim. After a long and bloody battle, Nasr was weakened and weary, but Chaim appeared unaffected. Nasr told his army to retreat, fearing for their lives, and with no other choice, they obeyed."_

The huge army of men shifted uneasily. They were forced to wait patiently until the final outcome, be it their leader or enemy. Chatter was scarce, and in the rare occasions someone started it, it was troubled and tense.

"_The following moments were known only to Nasr and Chaim. But Nasr appeared to his army, the victor."_

The young honey eyed leader appeared, battered and weary, but alive, and victorious. He gave a cry of victory, to which his army echoed, all apprehension forgotten.

"_Chaim was sealed back in his prison, for he was not dead, just defeated, for his deal with Seth meant he could not die. He was chained to his cell, both in his spirit form and physical form and all records were destroyed."_

Nasr departed from the cell, closing the large stone door on Chaim was more.

"It is over my friends. We shall protect this chamber above all, no one must know what lay here, for this man will cause pain to the Med-Jais like no other. But, it is over."

"_That was supposed to be the last of it. But life is never that simple."_

"_Chaim's curse lives on in Nafre's descendants, the Med-Jai leaders, only now it has increased to affect the 12 tribes of the Med-Jai."_

"_And Chaim lays in wait for his chance to return and finish his curse. And he will try."_

"_Come what may…"_


	2. Chapter One

Perry – Hey, sorry I've taken a while to finally get this up. In truth it'd probably be a longer wait but a lot of rather tragic things have happened around us at the moment. I've been looking for a way out and I had this story to do so I've written. Anyway, it's worked and I've been trying to come up with these scenes of how to start the first chapter; I just hope that I've got all of the characters in character. If there is something that doesn't seem right just tell me in your review please. -hint hint-

Mangoskin93: Thanks for the review. I'm glad that you thought the original prologue had the doom and gloom feel, I just fear I have lost that feel in the updated prologue and more than likely in this chapter too. I'm sorry if it has. It's hard because doom and gloom hasn't really started in this chapter. Thanks again!

Gianni Lee: Thanks for your review too! I hope I've still got your attention, because as I've said before I think it might have lost it. Hopefully it hasn't, but I fear it has. I hope that the updated prologue is up to the old one's standard, hopefully better, but I'm a realist so I doubt it. I do hope that you like this chapter and the new prologue though. Thank you again!

**Cursed**

**Chapter One**

At the age of just 20 years, Professor William E. Dawson was the youngest recognized Egyptologist expert of his era. The only child of two highly regarded Egyptologists themselves, Dawson had been on between 15 and 20 digs before he was even 10, and able to read Hieroglyphics at the tender age of 14.

He was a tall man, weedy even, neither ugly nor exceptionally handsome: pale skinned, blue eyed, red haired. Fair even. English, never with a tan, he was one of the typical English, cursed with the ability to go from white to lobster red in minutes.

His eyes were watery blue, the very pale color you will often see the sea take on a hot summer's day. They were wide, inexperienced eyes, innocent, round. With eyes like that it was difficult to believe that he was a young man, not a child. It was not the eyes themselves that gave that impression, but rather the way he would use them, the complete and utter awe at seeing something so simple and yet so new that would light up his eyes, making them sparkle with joy like a young child does on Christmas Day.

Thick fiery hair sat on top of his head, tidily swept to one side and not a hair out of place. The red hair contrasted his personality immensely. Dawson was a mild-mannered man, meek almost, quiet, hard to anger, the complete opposite of a stereo-typical red-head. So when it was that he walking into the Cairo museum, Evelyn O'Connell had no trouble whatsoever in distinguishing him.

"Hello, I was lead to believe that you were expecting me." He politely addressed her before promptly introducing himself. "I am Professor William Dawson, maybe you've heard of me?" He held out a hand friendly.

"Professor Dawson? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Evelyn O'Connell." Evy replied as she stood, taking his hand. "Yes, I was told that you were here hoping to research something, maybe if you tell me then I might be able to help?" Dawson smiled timidly.

"Er… yes. I think perhaps we could go somewhere else a little less crowded?" He asked as he gestured with a hand at the crowded room.

"Yes we could go to the Museum library, you will be wanting to use the books soon I imagine."

* * *

"I say Alex, what do you think to this?" Alex looked over to his uncle; a curious expression decorated his face, to see him holding a small golden amulet in the center of his palm. 

"I think that dad will kill you if you've spent all the money on that." Alex replied picking it up curiously, inspecting it carefully. "How much did you pay for it anyway Uncle John?"

"I found it, some unlucky chap ran by and dropped it right in front of me." Jonathon replied off-handedly. "What do you think it's made of?"

"Gold." Alex replied instantly. "Definitely ancient Egyptian, I've never seen anything like it before, but I doubt it's of any importance. Probably just a neckalace that some rich Egyptain woman had made for her. Somebody dropped it in front of you? Are you sure?"

Now 15, Alex had grown up a lot over the 7 years since he had an ancient Egyptian bracelet stuck on his wrist, been kidnapped by an undead mummy and his really creepy girlfriend, dragged on a wild goose chase around Egypt, and brought his mum back from the dead. He hadn't had anything nearly as exciting happen to him since though.

"Yes I'm sure." Jonathon answered defensively taking the amulet back from his nephew quickly as said nephew looked at him disbelievingly.

It was only then that Alex realized that they had been walking down the street while they spoke, and now he was in an area of Cairo he did not know.

"Uncle John? Do you know where we are exactly?" Whatever reply Jonathon had was not to be heard though as a black cloaked figure ran straight into him, knocking both he and the person to the floor. The figure was up in a matter of seconds disappearing swiftly down a nearby alley, melting into the shadows.

"I say! He took my necklace!"

* * *

"No. Those books were of no use to me either!" Dawson was heard to be exclaiming to Evy and Rick (who had found them in the Library at some point and had been since unable to leave politely, much to his chagrin) later after he had searched the Library. "There's a time period, before Seti, where nothing is recorded. No Pharaoh, no tombs, no records, absolutely nothing. I want to find out why." 

"Are you sure? I mean could it not be that it's so far back that they did not record anything?" Rick suggested off-handedly and Dawson looked at him in exasperation.

"There are things documented from before that time, pharaohs and hieroglyphics and things like that. And of cause there are pharaohs after, but there's absolutely nothing between them." Dawson explained as though talking to someone younger, earning him a glare from Rick. But Dawson was in his element, deeply involved in his speech, and so did not notice. There would be no stopping him now, until he was done. "I believe that someone intentionally took those records and destroyed them. It had to be someone from that time, and they must have had a reason to do so. I want to prove my theory and find out that reason."

"It's in my experience, Dawson, that some things are better left well alone. There are some very nasty things down there under the sand." Rick suggested not so subtly, remembering his own experiences with undead mummies.

"Do not be ridiculous Mr. O'Connell, surely you do not believe in all these curses that the locals make up-"

"We do not make them up." A heavily accented voice interrupted causing the two Egyptologists and the American to spin around in shock revealing a black clad woman standing directly behind them.

The woman was obviously one of Egyptian origins. Her eyes were almond shaped, ringed with kohl, intensifying her natural exotic look that many Egyptians possessed. They were close but just not quite mysterious, the color of pure chocolate, so dark that finding the pupils in them was difficult unless one looked closely. They looked out warningly from a mocha skinned face with delicate features. Her eyebrows elegantly sat dark against the white of her eyes. Her lips were full and only a few shades lighter than the rest of her face.

Thick, midnight hair cascaded in loose curls down her back, ending at her waist as it danced slowly in the wind. The aura of experience and knowledge hung around her, as did danger and a sense of awareness, and yet somehow this did not scare either of the O'Connells. They had felt this before. It was the same aura associated with their Med-Jai friend Ardeth. In all the 17 years they had known him, he never lowered his guard; he had always been alert. Although, as they usually only saw him when there was a crisis that might have had something to do with it.

The woman was wearing the traditional robes, long and black, leaving almost nothing to be seen of her except her face. Although even through the baggy and vague clothing it was obvious that she was a short woman, petite. Small, slender and slight.

"I beg your pardon miss, but surely you do not believe all of the rumors and legends that revolve around your people."

"I believe them because I have seen their affects and even in action. My people themselves are legend." The Arabic woman answered plainly. "And if you are as smart as you think you to be, you will take my warnings serious, or the consequences will be beyond anything you have every thought of." Her eyes shifted from the Professor to Rick. "I believe you know what I mean O'Connell?" Her duty done, the woman disappeared, her figure becoming vague and blurred as gradually it melted into the shadows surrounding her.

"Well, they certainly are strange here, are they not Mrs. O'Connell?" Dawson inquired shaking his head in disbelief as she just looked after the woman confused. "Did you know her Mr. O'Connell? She seemed to know you."

"No." Rick snapped.

"She reminded me of an old friend though." Evy interrupted, attempting to smooth the bluntness of Rick's tone.

"Maybe it was your old friend and she has just changed a lot?"

"I sincerely hope that _he_ has not changed _that_ much." Rick chuckled at the image of a female Ardeth Bay.

* * *

_Dark eyes watched over the sea of gold with a watchful and protective look. It was no good. His power was weakening, and with it the seal. __**His** chains were weakening too, the amulet found, and the duty almost forgotten. It was not looking good. _

_The worst thing was that he was completely helpless to do anything, to help them, to prevent this. He could only hope that his people were able to prevent the oncoming storm before it reached the stage that he was enabled to step in himself. By that time however, he knew that the chain would have started and nothing would stop the beginning of the end._

_He knew it would be useless once __he was released. Even the creature paled in comparison. This would end in the destruction of either mankind or his charge._

_The irony was not lost on him, he had spent his entire life not knowing what it was that he must do, and now he knew he was powerless to do it._

_If only he could warn them of what he could foretell would happen._

_"It has begun."_


	3. Chapter Two

Perry: Hiya, and eventually, I've written another chapter, I will try to be more regular with my updates but things have been a little hectic with my life recently, damn exams and revision.

Gianni Lee: Thanks for reviewing again! It's nice to know that I have somebody that's interested in this. Hopefully this chapter will live up to the previous two! Thanks again!

Lauren Hedgehog: Yes, you should check back more often! There are plenty of writers WAY better than me writing Mummy fanfiction, imagine what you're missing out on:P I'm glad you like my writing style, thank you, and I hope my plot with live up to it's potential. Unfortunately I haven't got all of the creases ironed out of it yet, but it should be soon. Thank you for reviewing!

**Cursed**

**Chapter Two**

Pain had long ago become a well-known companion to the Med-Jais. They had known it when they first pledge their lives to keeping the secrets beneath the sand exactly that, secret. However, they had also always known what it was exactly that they were dealing with before.

It was just a shame then that the knowledge of what was causing this epidemic, and how to treat it had been long lost in the pages of time. The entire camp had been in turmoil since the first case. More people were falling ill daily, the Med-Jai were at their weakest for centuries, a fact that Ardeth Bay knew all too well.

"It's not just this camp Ardeth." The dark haired man explained raking a tanned hair through thick midnight curls in frustration. "It's spread to the others too." Ardeth nodded showing that he had heard and understood.

"Be that as it may Kaden, the nearest camp is still further from us than Cairo. Why has it spread to them and not Cairo? This is not a normal illness, why does it only hunt us? The Med-Jai pondered turning to look at his long time friend. Kaden paused looking uncomfortable.

"I do not know Ardeth." He answered eventually. "I really do not." His hand went to his hair again. It had been a habit ever since he was a young child in training, since before Ardeth had known him.

Kaden was a tall man, at least a foot taller than his friend and leader, and was of a larger, although still slim build. He and Ardeth had been friends since childhood having both begun their training at the same time, even when as time pasted Ardeth began to pull in front of him they had remained firm friends until eventually when it was Ardeth's time to take over leadership where he had appointed Kaden his second-in-command. No one could deign that they worked well together, after years of fighting by the others side they had developed a keen sense when it came to knowing what the other would do.

"Neither do I Kaden." Ardeth sighed in frustration. "That's what worries me, no one else does either."

"Abu!" A young mans voice cried out. "Abu! They are missing!" Kaden whirled around turning to look at the boy, obviously his son as the older teen looked to be almost his clone. Kaden frowned wondering what could possibly have happened now?

"What is it Nikal?" His tone stressed and Nikal looked uneasy about telling his news to not only his father but now unfortunately Ardeth Bay as well. He had been hoping that his father would have been alone. Ardeth would not take this well.

"They are gone. The children, they have gone."

* * *

"I'm telling you Evy. This is not a good idea." He insisted taking another sip from his cup as he looked at his wife meaningfully whilst she merely waved away his concern with her hand.

"Don't be ridiculous Rick, I'm sure it was nothing. I mean what harm could it do? He's only trying to find some records." Evy reasoned, although Rick failed to see the logic in her view.

"Evy, do you remember what happened last time we were warned by mysterious spooky people to leave things alone? Look what happened there by not listening to them." Evy looked slightly unsure again but she merely shrugged it off.

"That may be true honey but she may have just been a regular Cairo citizen that hates us tourists visiting and wants to get rid of us? Or perhaps-"

"Perhaps a Med-Jai with a point. Like last time." He interrupted.

"Oh Rick. She didn't have any tattoos like all the other Med-Jai we have seen to have. You don't know that she is indeed a Med-Jai." She argued back.

"I don't need to Evy. Something about her makes me think she might know what she's talking about. Something about her reminded me of our old buddy." Evy nodded in agreement.

"That's true. She reminded me of Ardeth too." The two sat in silence a minute sipping their drinks in the small café they had found. "But surely, nothing bad can come from looking for some old documents right Rick?"

* * *

"Uncle John, I really don't think that this is worth it." Alex argued as his uncle walked down the street aimlessly looking for the guy who had stolen that amulet from him.

"Of cause it is Alex, you said so yourself, that necklace was pure gold, it must be worth a fortune!" Jonathon exclaimed continuing down the street, Alex stopped noticing that his uncle was heading towards a dead end and waiting for his uncle to realise as well. Rolling his eyes he reminded himself that this was his uncle Jonathon he was talking about.

"Uncle John. You're going towards a dead end." Alex informed the other. Jonathon huffed as he turned back towards his nephew.

"If you know Cairo so well, you tell me where to go." Alex raised an eyebrow at the suggestion and shrugged.

"Perhaps you should head in the direction he went after he took off, with your necklace?" Alex suggested. Jonathon's reply however was not to be heard when he was cut off by some commotion from further down the street.

"Hey! Get him!"

"Stop that guy!"

"He's too fast!"

"What did he do?"

Shouts could be heard in a mixture of different languages from down the street as the uncle and nephew turned to look towards the source of the disruption. A herd of people could be seen stampeding through the narrow street towards them, lead by a familiar black-cloaked character.

"Alex, that's -!"

"I know uncle John."

The figure was a while ahead of the group and came storming down the sandy path, the long black robes streaming behind as the group fought to keep him in sight. She rounded the bend in the track still at a run, he head facing behind her, keeping a weary eye on her hunters. She was so focuses that she never noticed the two males and ploughed straight into them both, knocking all three to the floor.

In the process the hood that had kept his face hidden was flung off, to where it now lay on the floor to his side. Or should we say her as Alex found himself staring into a pair of slanted brown eyes situated in a very tattooed, very tanned and very female face.

* * *

It had taken many hours, numerous books and unimaginable amounts patience, but he had prevailed. He had made progress in his research.

Dawson had been sat in the Cairo Museum's Library for hours now and all he had to show for it was barely a page full of notes, but that was enough for the young Professor. He had made found something.

After reading many books on him, Dawson had finally found what it was that he needed to find about Professor Wilfred J. Pickering. He had found the notes that the elderly professor had made mere days before his mysterious death in an accident. He had not read up on the method of death seeing it as unnecessary.

Pickering had discovered that the loss of records from that era was somehow connected to the Sphinx, the man had intended to head towards the Sphinx in order to find out more, a journey that was never meant to be.

But now he was here he could continue the research of Pickering, and he would start in the exact same place that Pickering had left off. The Sphinx.

Now he had only to find a guide to take him there…

* * *

"I still don't understand why you are so against him continuing in his research." Evy confided in Rick as he frowned.

"And I still don't understand why you refuse to listen to that woman's advice." Evy frowned.

The two were heading back towards the Museum where they were staying for the visit. Hopefully Alex and Jonathon would be there already. The silence was cut short when some murmuring could be heard from a nearby alley.

"I'm telling you, they're worth every penny." A rough voice came from the alley.

"I know those robes, they are of the Desert People. No amount of usefulness is worth crossing the Med-Jai." Another voice answered harshly. The O'Connells shared a look creeping forward to hear more clearly.

"They could not possibly harm you." The first voice replied equally harshly. "I doubt they even know they are missing."

"You underestimate the Med-Jai. Their leader is one to be feared." The two eavesdroppers peeked around a pile of crates revealing two men. The first was dressed in fine robes of an expensive nature. He looked pampered, well groomed, and very out of place in the dingy, damp and dirty alley. Unlike the first man however, the second one looked very much at home in the dark place. His clothing was threadbare and dark; it was unlikely that it had been washed for weeks by its appearance. He was of a short nature and build, and his features were vague in the dim light.

Next to the second man were about ten children, all under the age of ten and of mixed genders. They were indeed dressed in the dark robes of the Med-Jai Evy noticed. The eldest two, a boy and girl no older than 9, appeared to be the only ones unworried, the boy standing at the front whilst the girl hung around in the group, calming the other children and attempting to sooth the youngest ones as well as she could.

"Ardeth Bay is nowhere near as fearful as the stories that have been made up of he." The second man, whom Rick presumed to be a slave trader, huffed appearing to be very angry.

"No," The first man agreed. "Indeed he is worse." The trader growled to which the youngest child, a little girl, whimpered in fear. The trader was obviously angry and had just been waiting for an excuse to take it out on someone. He whirled around furiously.

SLAP!

Evy gasps, although luckily it remained unheard by the two men over the little girls wailing, although it was not from pain. The eldest girl that Evy had been watching had stepped in front of the little girl and in turn it was her whose head had been whipped to the left with the force of the slap, and it was her whose cheek had begun to turn a sore red colour, not the little girl. Evy knew it must have hurt her, but her face remained as calm as ever showing nothing of pain as she turned to the little girl.

"Shush now Aiesha, don't cry." She shushed.

Rick turned to her and the couple shared a silent agreement as Rick moved his hand to retrieve his gun and take aim.

* * *

Perry: Well that's another chapter done, I hope you all enjoy it. Seems like the plot is thickening, I just hope it doesn't confuse you, everyone should be meeting back up in a couple of chapters. Then I won't be jumping to four different places. I think it is chapter 4 when everyone meets up. Until then, you'll just have to bear with me. It will get simpler as it goes on. Hopefully.

In the meantime while you return to the other fanfiction on this site, why not review? I'll appreciate it and you can go, your heart at ease knowing that you've done a good thing today and made a writer feel appreciated.

Is that persuasive enough for you?


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